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Gloria, radiant, had caught his hand,
and both stood bowing amid the deaf
ening plaudits.
The thrill of that sweet contact re
warded Marley for all he suffered.
Then after that, whenever she came
to the tent, Gloria lingered always a
few moments by the side of her hero.
Thus it was that the ringmaster re
sented, fearing a growing attachment
between the two. He need not have
worried, however. Marley held Gloria
as high above him as the stars. Be
sides that, a certain secret in his life
oppressed him, crushed him, shut him
away from appearing as the true man
that he really was.
It was one morning, about a week
after this episode, that a few of the
actors mqt to rehearse a new act
The ringmaster, for a wonder, was
absent, but his daughter and Marley
were both on hand.
They had drawn aside in the dressing-room
entrance to await their call
in the act bding rehearsed, and were
conversing casually, she with interest
as always in her companion, he with
glowing eyes, for her presence was p.
sweet balm to his loneliness and
trouble, when two men came through
the main entrance and approached
the manager.
"You have a man here named Mar
ley," spoke one of them.
"Yes, what of it?M snapped the
manager, ruffled at the intrusion.
"We are officers of the law, and
we have a warrant for his arrest as
Charles Page."
Gloria fixed her startled eyes upon
her companion. Marley had paled. He
shrank back slightly.
"He is a criminal, an embezzler,"
continued the officer.
"I shall go with him," spoke Mar
ley, quickly. "I am neither Charles
Page nor an embezzler, but duty de
mands that I should be the scapegoat
for both."
"Oh, I knew you were innocent!"
cried Gloria, her hands clasping his
arm fervently. "No, you shall not
sacrifice yourself. Quick this way!"
It was with considerable wonder
ment that a search for Marley began,
the manager noted that he had dis,
appeared. It was with irascible defeat
that the officers realized that their
man had escaped them.
Gloria's heart fluttered for hours
after that. More than once her eyes
glanced toward the cage where her
performing tiger, Hudah, was con
fined. She learned that a guard of
officers hung around the outside of
the tent.
And there within, in the cage, hid
den by the great canvas cover of the
cage wagon, Marley lurked. He was
at the mercy of the ferocious Hudah,
but he held a talisman that made the
animal gentle as a kitten towards
him the scarf Gloria always wore
when in the cage. When the great
circus caravan wended its slow,
gaudy way from the city the next day,
the watching officers again missed it
in finding a clew to the man who had
vanished.
The show made a, long trip across
four states. That evening they set
tled at their fixed stand, Rice called
Marley intd his room at the hotel.
"Now, then, I want your story," he
said, mandatorily. ,
"Why?" challenged Marley.
"For Gloria's sake."
That was enough. If Gloria was in
terested! Ah, was it friendship, grati
tude only? But Marley recited all the
details of an event, where, to save a
sorrowing mother, he had assumed
the blame of the crime of another.
"I have an offer for a long tour in
Europe," said Rice. "There you would
be safe."
"But why should I trouble you
thus" began Marley, and the old
ringmaster answered:
"I think Gloria will wish to go
where you go. She believes in you.
Are you dense, man! She loves you,
and Lknow you to be a man of honor,
and so "
And so the circus romance ended in
a quiet, happy wedding, and -peace,
and security and love.
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